ESCI – 8370 – 8041 – Sd. Kfz. 265 Command version (Kl. Pz. Bef. Wg. I b)

Description:

Sd. Kfz. 265 Command version (Kl. Pz. Bef. Wg. I b)

Unassembled plastic model in 1/72 scale of a German WWII command tank Sd.Kfz. 265 Panzerbefehlswagen Ausf. B, the first specifically command tank in the German WWII army. Initially based in the Panzer IA chassis, test were not satisfactory and chassis was redesigned, this was the base for the Ausf. B Panzer I and not in the opposite way.

The last release in the Panzer I series by ESCI was this command vehicle which shares the main sprue of the ESCI – 8368 – 8024 – German Tank IB (Pz. Kpfw. I Ausf. B) kit, this kit changed one sprue with the specific parts for the upper superstructure and some different parts. The problem of the engine deck and wrongly shaped upper hull remains here as well as the wrong sprocket wheel.

Same history than parent kit, Revell-ESCI, Hasegawa or Polistil released the same kit in the 70s (But not Aurora). Italeri re-issued the same kit as Italeri – 7072 – Sd.Kfz.265 Panzerbefhelswagen.

As usual in ESCI decal sheet provided 4 markings.

Both S-Model and First to Fight produces/ed models which can end in a better finish, as S-Model – PS720098 – SdKfz. 265 Kleiner Panzerbefehlswagen and First to Fight – 04 – SdKfz. 265 Panzerbefehlswagen I Ausf. B. Attack Hobby Kits produced several variants of the early Ausf.A models but they are pretty hard to find and work. Take a look at the full Panzer I 1/72 scale kits to find them.